'Tis the season when dogs are decked out in ugly holiday sweaters and plied with gifts.

Ziggy Starpug Goldberg, a 3-year-old pug from Brooklyn, is celebrating the Festival of Lights with abandon, gobbling up her star-shaped treats while garbed in a menorah hat and blue dress.

Her owner, Lauren Goldberg, a Manalapan native who now lives in Bedford Stuyvesant, points out that while Christmas-themed outfits for pooches are ubiquitous, canine wear devoted to Hanukkah is harder to find.

This Hanukkah, Ziggy seems to be raking it in anyway, with two brand-new outfits and a slew of toys and delicacies. After all, Goldberg did not want her furry baby to be left empty-pawed during the eight-day festival.

“She’s like my daughter,” beams Goldberg, 27, a web designer and developer. “It’s very important to me that my dog is raised Jewish."

When Goldberg recites the Hebrew blessings over her menorah, Ziggy participates: "She snorts along with me."

Fiore Dean's dog, Johnny, of Palisades Park(Photo: Fiore Dean)

She's not the only pooch basking in the holiday spirit: Fiore Dean, 68, a consultant from Palisades Park, and her Yorkie, Johnny, will host a Christmas party for 20 four-legged guests and their humans. “We’re serving doggie treats, we will play doggie games, and everyone will wear costumes. They’ll have a ball," Dean said. "Everything at the Christmas party is geared for the dogs — no friends or family."

Johnny, 10, will dress up as Santa Claus, as he does every year, and at the right time, of course, will sniff out his gifts under the tree.

Christmas toy display at Petco in Hackensack(Photo: Deena Yellin)

Meanwhile, other pet owners are bustling through pet stores across the land in search of a gift that will make their pup bark with joy.

According to the 2017-18 American Pet Products Association's National Pet Owners Survey, 68 percent of U.S. households own pets; that equates to 84.6 million homes. Experts say a large proportion of those "pet parents" will pony up when it comes to gifts for their furry friends.

Matching pajamas

"People today treat their dogs as their children, and the demand for dog gifts is growing," observed Alanna Kearney, a marketing manager for Fabdog, a Lodi-based pet apparel and toy company that sells through its website. "They're willing to spend more money on their dogs at holiday time than the rest of the year."

Hanukkah toys by HuggleHound(Photo: HuggleHound)

The company's biggest seller this year is the matching human and dog pajamas, which are almost sold out, she said.

Purchasing gifts for pets has become de rigueur in recent years, said Gina Pollock, co-founder of Little Falls-based Puppy Kisses LLC, which sells dog apparel, accessories and treats.

Among the hot items on her company's website for the holidays are hoodies with holiday messages (for Hanukkah there's a T-shirt that reads "Let's Get Lit"), bow ties, gingerbread men and crinkle toys.

One company, BarkShop, is selling "The Dognald," a parody doll of President Donald Trump — with indestructible hair — for dogs to chew on. (There's also a squeaking Hillary Dog Toy — made by FUZZU — dressed in a red pantsuit.)

Clearly, we've come a long way from stuffing holiday stockings with kibble.

"We've seen a big change. It's not an afterthought to buy for your pets anymore," Pollock said. "They are part of the shopping list. We had to start adding more items to our holiday section."

Why we love dogs

Dogs have long been dubbed man's best friend because of their loyalty. They provide companionship and comfort, needs that are more acutely felt during the holidays. Some experts say dogs help humans live healthier lives by reducing blood pressure and stress levels.

"They are extremely devoted to their human companions," said David Nast, director of the office of specialized services at Ramapo College of New Jersey. "They are not known to be harsh critics. Their relationships with their human are very straightforward. Part of the nature of the dog is that they want to belong to a pack. Even if it's just with one other individual."

Good Karma dog rescue marches during the 'Home for the Holidays' parade in Westwood on Saturday December 1, 2018. (Photo: Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com)

Half of all dog owners and 38 percent of cat owners buy holiday gifts for them, according to the American Pet Products Association. Dog parents spend a bit more for gifts on average at $14, while cat parents rang up an average of $12.

Naughty Bone by HuggleHounds(Photo: HuggleHounds)

Emily Van Buren, the e-commerce buyer for the American Kennel Club, said dogs in particular are treated more like members of the family rather than as pets. "Just as you would purchase Christmas gifts for your children or family members, we have seen a surprising amount of traffic and engagement around holiday-themed dog gift packs for Fido to unwrap on Christmas morning," she said.

Meanwhile, Ziggy's first night of Hanukkah went off without a hitch. "She loves her new sweater, and she wore it all day," Goldberg said Monday afternoon. "But she's still mad I wouldn't share my latkes."